In the Pursuit of the Professor
by CookiesForEmmy
Summary: Alfendi needs to take action, and fast. Luckily an old friend of his father's is by his side to find out the truth behind "the disappearance".
1. Chapter 1

Emmy Altava.

At first, Alfendi had thought she was nothing but a myth - a concoction from his old man's brain. Same went for their "adventures" that he had been told about growing up. _A girl in ice, a village full of robots, a machine that could store memories. _Ridiculous, they were.

Yet every word Alfendi's father had said about those adventures and Emmy - from bumping into her to saying goodbye - had been dead-on accurate.

The red-headed inspector groaned. Most people chose to relax at this time of the year, but he was still hot on his toes. He had to be, in theory; he reckoned chilling in his PJs would do nothing to help him find his answers.

_Where could Father have gotten to? _Alfendi thought. _He's not the type to go somewhere afar without prior word. Unless he's trying to escape Flora? But still... he would have to tell _someone. _That someone would probably not be me either. Why..._

_No. Absolutely not._

Alfendi's grip on the cup handle tightened, and so did the pains in his stomach. For just that split second, that small moment in time, the inspector considered the possibility of this happening if his bond with his father had been stronger. Could he be the reason his dad was missing? He hoped not. But before he had time to think on it, the door to his office opened. A rather wrapped-up Emmy was poking her head around it, eyes on the inspector.

"Are you ready?" she said.

...

"Yes. I am." He pulled a loose strand of hair behind his ear and his thick winter coat over his shoulders. "Let's go, Emmy."

And thus, a most unlikely duo set off on their quest. Whether or not they would succeed, Alfendi wasn't sure. But he wouldn't let them go down without a fight - for that is what a gentleman does.


	2. Chapter 2

Ah. The quaint town of Gelebham.

Hershel Layton had never mentioned the town in his stories, funnily enough. Alfendi thought it would be the perfect place for a man like his father - intruiging, somewhat picturesque... But no. Neither he nor Emmy had stepped foot into the place before.

In a way, it was good they hadn't seen Gelebham before - it added a hint of mystery to their trip. Emmy had offered Alfendi the backseat of her scooter, but that was something his father's stories had taught him - Emmy was a reckless driver. So he had politely refused, and had arrived with her by train late that evening. The clouds were disappearing into the darkness and only street lamps and house lights lit up the pathways ahead.

_This is the place where Father was spotted. Or so that's what the people at the Yard said. Somebody claiming to see my father, right here, in this town. Doing what exactly, though? The witness sighting doesn't answer any of my questio-_

"Hey, Alfendi!"

"WHAT?!"

"There's a hotel here! Come look!"

_Dammit! _Al turned and walked over to where Emmy was standing. There was indeed a hotel - "Hôtel de la Pomme d'Or", according to what the signs nearby said.

"Should we go in?" Emmy asked.

Alfendi sighed and scratched the back of his head. "Do I have a choice?"

"Not really," she laughed. It seemed that even women in their 40s could be young at heart. (And still drive recklessly too.) Emmy grabbed the inspector's hand and dragged him in...

...only for him to be taken into another person's grasp. She was only small woman, very petite, too, with beautiful black eyes and brown hair curling down her shoulders.

"Al!" she cried.

"F-Flora!" Alfendi tried to prise her arms from around his shoulders. "I know you're happy to see me, but please, my ribs are about to cave in!"

She loosened her grip and laughed. _Who is this woman? _Emmy wondered.

"Alfendi, I'm so glad to see you! And who's this? A female friend of yours?"

Al looked back at Emmy, who was trying to find her words. He himself was short of anything to say - Flora was _still _the curious girl he had grown up with. Beautiful, happy and the slightest bit childish. No one would have guessed she was older than him...

"She is, sort of," Alfendi sighed. "Her name's Emmy. Remember Emmy? The woman Father talked about in his stories?"

"Oh yes!" Flora cried. She rushed to said woman's side and shook her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am."

"Emmy, this is Flora, my sister. You know why we're here, right, Flora?"

"Yes, I do. I'll book you both a room each so you can rest before your investigation tomorrow."

* * *

_Emmy rolled over, wrapped in the covers. It was so much warmer there than the apartment she lived in back in London. Not that she had much time to be there, though - travelling the world was part of her job as a photographer. Al had just caught her before she left again._

_KNOCK! KNOCK!_

_"Who is it?" Emmy groaned. Who would come calling at this time?_

_"It's me," the voice called back, "Flora. I have something to ask you. Something important."_

_Emmy rose from the mass of sheets. "Come on in then!"_

_She watched the door open. It was kind of creepy seeing that familar black silouhette through tired eyes. It was stretched and blurry... Nothing like the lovely Flora down in the lobby. But it was her, Emmy was sure of it._

_Flora came and sat next to her. Everything went silent._

_"Emmy, do you know about Alfendi's personality disorder?"_

* * *

***NOTE - "Hôtel de la Pomme d'Or" is French for "Hotel of the Golden Apple". I wanted to reference Flora***

***damn it this is pretty shitty u_u I'm sorry ;_;***


	3. Chapter 3

At that moment, dawn had broken over the hills of Gelebham - and what a day to witness it. Windows had been opened, smoke had created a shelter over the rooftops, and our duo had stepped out to start their investigation.

Alfendi breathed in the bitter air that still surrounded him from the time of that dawning. He tried to convince himself the townsfolk had been a great help, but the lack of information he possessed seemed to tell him otherwise. It was as he knew - somebody saw his father. That person was hiding, big-time, for reasons unbeknowst. If they weren't to come out, then where would Alfendi find his answers?

The inspector sighed heavily. _As Dad said, failure only makes us wiser... If this is even failure... In fact, I'd say tha-_

"Alfendi..."

"WHAT? This better be important!"

"...I feel as if we're being followed."

Another sigh came from Al's lips . "Is that all?" he answered. "Look, call me a broken record here, but you're just imagining things. Forget it and keep walking."

"No! I know a follower when I sense one - it's in my assistant instincts!" Emmy clenched her fists. "I'm going to find this fiend no matter what the difficulty."

The fists were accompanied by a flame of determination burning in her eyes. Before Al could say another word, Emmy exited the narrow passage way they had been standing in, first walking, then running, and then...gliding across the rooftops?_ Wow, Dad_, Al thought. _If she's really performing these stunts at her age, then she must be on to something. A lead hopefully. Guess I'll have to catch up!_

* * *

"Aha - got you!"

The panting inspector had trailed every alleyway in town to find Emmy again, and here she was, on the first path they had even crossed. Just great. But what was that in her grasp? A...wolf? Alfendi drew in closer. "Who's your friend there, Emmy?" he asked.

"This is Bingo!" she exclaimed. "It's crazy how much he looks like a dog, isn't it? I can't get anything but woofs out of him."

_B-Bingo?_

"Let's, er, have a closer look,"Alfendi said. He knelt beside the whimpering male, who beared a red chain Alfendi recognised from days in the Mystery Room. "Remember me, boy?"

Bingo replied with a woof. Indeed, it was crazy; Emmy wondered where Al remembered him from. But she didn't have long to wonder. There was a flash of white labcoat, a glimpse of brown hair, before the scenario became clear. Well...perhaps not so clear.

Emmy felt frozen to the spot, as if the breeze had turned her to stone. A petite figure stood there, pressing Al against the wall and trying to tower him, but not quite succeeding. Their nails were almost ripping through Al's coat, and they made sure he was trapped with their breaths travelling down his neck, before whispering, "This is it, Layton. Hand over Bing or I'll cut out your tongue...as you tried to do all those years ago."

_It...couldn't be her! She wouldn't... Not after she..._

"Argh!" Alfendi screamed. "Get off of me!"

His hair was getting redder, like one would expect his face to. The attacker mockingly stroked his chin. "A please would be nice, brother dearest," they replied through smirking pink lips. With a final waft of a hand, Bingo got to his feet and followed the figure's calls.

"Oh, and Layton. Do yourself a favour and get out of Gelebham. I'm not sure if you have noticed, but neither you or that wench are welcome here, and that is a fact."


End file.
